Despite being a cancer drug, Avastin is often used by
doctors globally for eye ailments even though it does not have
U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for that purpose.

Studies have shown eye injections of Avastin can curb vision
loss.

However, fifteen patients at a hospital in western Gujarat
state underwent surgery last week when they reported swelling
and pain in their eyes following usage of Avastin.

The advisory, issued by India's top drugs regulator G.N.
Singh, comes two days after Reuters reported Gujarat had asked
distributors to recall one batch of the medicine, while the
southern state of Telangana ordered a freeze on all its batches.

"Regulatory authorities may alert their inspectorate staff
to monitor the movement of the said drug and its use in
ophthalmology," Singh wrote in the alert notice, adding the drug
was not approved in India for such usage.

Roche's India unit said it was aware of the government
notification and reiterated it does not promote use of Avastin
for eye ailments for which it does not have an approval.

Still, the company said on Tuesday it was taking events in
Gujarat "very seriously" and initiated an internal probe.

The C.H. Nagri Municipal Eye Hospital in Gujarat's Ahmedabad
city administered the drug to 7,000 people over the last decade
but has now stopped.

Cases of shoddy medical treatment and spurious drugs are
often reported in India, where the public health system remains
overburdened and people, especially in smaller towns and
villages, struggle to access basic health services.

Gujarat authorities are also investigating whether the drug
involved in last week's incident was a fake copy of Avastin.
(Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Mark Potter)